Around Windham County

COMMUNITY SUPPER: September brings the return of Community Suppers to Athens. On the first Friday of the month from September through June, join friends and neighbors in the basement of the Athens Community Church at 6 p.m. for a delicious meal and treats from the dessert buffet table. For the months of September and October, there will be a “Share the Harvest” table, in which community members can bring the excess from their home gardens to share with their neighbors who don’t have gardens. Any leftover produce will be taken to the Townshend Food Shelf for distribution the following Monday.

The Athens Community Supper is sponsored by Grafton Cares. For more information call Dennis and Karen at 802-869-2674.

In Brattleboro…

CHESS CLASS: The Brattleboro Recreation Parks Department will begin a new session of chess classes on Friday, Sept. 6. Chess helps children develop their problem solving skills and increase their attention span.

The improved ability to focus and concentration gained from playing chess usually transfers to academics. Instruction will introduce basic principles of chess to participants, along with simple strategies and tactics, and provide a venue for them to play practice games.

Eric Strickland will be the class instructor.

The intermediate group is planned for players who know the basic checkmates, and at least a few tactics and strategies. It will be held Fridays from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. at the Gibson-Aiken Center, 207 Main St.

The cost of the eight-week program is $32 for residents and $47 for non-residents. To register for the class call the Recreation Parks Office at 802-254-5808, weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 5 p.m.

In Dover…

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: Preschool Storytime at the Dover Free Library has been on recess. The Fall Session will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and continue each Wednesday through Nov. 13.

Storytimes are free and open to the public. A new theme and craft activity are provided each week. For more information, contact the library at 802-348-7488 or www.doverfreelibrary1913.org.

In Guilford…

SENIOR LUNCH: The Guilford Golden Agers Senior Lunch, sponsored by Senior Solutions, will take place at noon on Friday, Sept. 6, at the Guilford Community Church.

The menu includes jambalaya, applesauce, pickles and zucchini bread, with peaches and cream gelatin for dessert. A suggested donation of $3 for seniors and $5 for others is asked.

Books will be available on loan from the Guilford Free Library. Blood pressures will be taken courtesy of Guilford Cares.

For more information and to make reservations, call 802-254-9774, no later than Wednesday, Sept. 4.

In Newfane …

GARDEN CLUB: The Newfane Garden Club will hold a meeting and presentation on Planning the Vegetable Garden, Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Newfane Congregational Church in Newfane, beginning at 2 P.M. Following a brief business meeting, Steve Squires, who is a Master Gardener from UVM Extension Service will discuss things we can do in the Fall to make our gardens ready for Spring planting. Topics will include planning and scheduling tasks, soil preparation, weed and pest control, composting, and a host of tips on specific crops. The meeting hostesses are Claire Johns of Putney and Carol Fay of Wardsboro. Guests are always welcome.

Additional information about the Newfane Garden Club can be found at www.newfanegardenclub@webs.com.

BINGO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The weekly Saturday bingo game at the NewBrook Firehouse on Route 30 in Newfane, an institution in the West River Valley for nearly 50 years, is looking for volunteers to help run the games. Volunteers are organized in teams of three or four. Each team is responsible for running the bingo game every sixth Saturday night, or about nine evenings per year.

The main requirement is reliability. Bingo volunteers need to commit, firmly and unfailingly, to being available and showing up on their appointed Saturdays, from 6 to about 9:30 p.m.

Anyone who is able to spare an evening, less than one Saturday night per month, and might be interested in helping with bingo is asked to contact Win Clark, NewBrook’s Bingo Captain, at 802-365-7842 or wlclark@svcable.net.

It is not necessary to be a member of NewBrook Fire Department or its Auxiliary, or to be a resident of Brookline or Newfane.

In Putney…

AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM: Putney Family Services will be offering a new schedule of afterschool clubs and classes this fall at Putney Central School. The OASIS Program has been offering a safe and fun place for students to be after school for 15 years.

Back to school Opening Session is open to all students grades K-8, Monday through Thursday, Sept. 3 to12 from 2:45 to 4:30 p.m.

OASIS Fall Session Clubs and Classes begin Sept. 16 for students in grades 2-8, Tuesday to Thursday, 2:45 to 4:30 p.m. This fall’s offerings will include violin class, comedy improv, chess and more. A special Homework Help opportunity will run after class-time from 4:30-5 p.m.

K2 Club is a fun enrichment and activity program for students grades K-2. It will include cooking, outdoor exploration, experiments, music, theater and art, as well as literacy and math support. K2 will run Mondays-Thursdays, 2:45-4:30 p.m. beginning Sept.16.

Subsidy is available for all classes.

For more information, contact Amelia Struthers or Patricia Field at Putney Family Services, 802-387-2120, or amelia@putneyfamilyservices.net. Registration forms also available in the Putney Central School office.

In Stratton…

REGIONAL SOLAR WORKSHOP: Is your community considering solar power as an option for a local power source? Do you have questions about the Vermont’s Sustainably Priced Energy Development program (SPEED)? Wondering what group net-metering is?

Planning commissions (Windham, Rutland, Bennington and Southern Windsor) are pairing with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to bring a SunShot Solar Workshop to Vermont. The workshop is designed to provide actionable information on overcoming local-level barriers to solar, addressing soft costs, and implementing a successful local solar program in the community.

Southern Vermont town officials, businesses and local leaders interested in learning more about solar development in the region are invited to attend this free workshop with national and local experts.

The workshop will be interactive and provide the following information: an overview of solar technology and why solar is viable for the region; a review of zoning codes, local ordinances and permitting processes with a concentration on facilitating solar installations; and examples of innovative financing options for solar projects.

The workshop will also include a panel of local leaders and experts from the region who will lead discussion and answer questions. The event will be held Friday, Sept. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Green Mountain Room at the Inn at Stratton Mountain at Stratton Mountain Ski Resort. For more details visit the WRC Energy at www.windhamregional.org/energy, or contact WRC Planner Cullen Meves at cmeves@windhamregional.org or 802-257-4547 ext. 108.